Intralesional Bleomycin injection for the treatment of Warts

Burm, Jin Sik; Oh, Suk Joon

Abstract

Intralesional belomycin injection has been an effective treatment of recalcitrant warts since 1970. A 1 U/ml solution of bleomycin sulfate in normal saline or lidocaine solution was injected intralesionally in 72 warts of 33 patients on the hands, forearm, feet, and face. Dosage of bleomycin was dependent on the size of warts, usually 0.1 to 0.15 cc of solution. All patients was permitted to wash the treated area without care. 59 (81.9%) of 72 warts were cured after one injection, 12 (16.7%) warts after two or three bleomycin injections. One large wart was not cured. Most patients experienced minimal painful discomfort for two to three days after one to two days of injection, but did not take the analgesics. There was no evidence of systemic and local toxicities. The most responsive warts shoed hemorrhagic black eschars that separated after 2 to 3 weeks and healed with very little or no scar tissue. Intralesional bleomycin injection is a reliable and useful alternative for the treatment of warts.